Poll debacle may deepen rift in Kerala's ruling CPI-M

The decisive defeat suffered by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala may have its fallout on the internal dynamics of the Marxist party in the state, deepening the long-drawn rift between Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.    

The faction fued took a serious turn just before the polls over the SNC Lavalin corruption case with Achuthanandan coming under sharp criticism for apparently refusing to toe the party line that the CBI move to arraign Vijayan, former power minister, as an accused in the case was politically motived.    

Some members of the state secretariat even called for Achuthanandan's resignation. However, the government recently accepted the Advocate General's advice against granting permission sought by the CBI for prosecuting Vijayan, who faced charges of irregularities in the award of contracts to the Canadian company SNC Lavalin.    

The warring groups would be seizing on the party's poor performance as a potent weapon to strike at each other, analysts here believe. Yesterday's poll outcome was a complete reversal of the CPI-M's showing in 2004 when the LDF swept the state winning 18 of the 20 seats. The LDF managed to win only four seats this time.    

Apparently anticipating a showdown over the poll results, Achuthanandan has said the outcome was not a vote against his government's performance.